Paddle Healthy: Body Weight Workout Level 3

We have another great body weight workout brought to you by Riviera Paddlesurf and exercise physiologist Ramsey Mead of Paddle Core Fitness. In this installment of Paddle Healthy, we focus on leg strengthening.

Workout Notes:

– Perform a minimum of 2x a week or every other day if you like
– Perform each exercise for a minimum of 30 seconds working up to 1 minute (unless otherwise indicated)
– Perform exercises 1-5 in a circuit (one after another) up to 3x, starting with one circuit and build up
– Rest period progression – start with a 45 second rest between; then when ready, drop to 30 seconds and then to 20 seconds, then none until the last exercise (#5) is done, then rest 1 minute
– Use a stop watch or timer such as the Gymboss
– Stop if form deteriorates
– Don't forget to breathe
– Take notes of your progress
– Have fun and get fit!

Single Leg Box Squat

1. Assume a seated position on a workout bench, chair or a designed, box shown here
2. Anchor one foot fixed and firm and extend the other leg out
3. Raise both arms up straight
4. With control and balance, drive through the single leg to a standing position
5. From a standing position with control, slowly lower back down into the initial start position

Paddler Benefits – Great movement for dealing with strength imbalances within the legs, creating balance with expressive power for stroke and board control.

1. Start with standing position
2. Raise knee to above waist while simultaneously raising same side arm straight into the air
3. Bending the supporting knee, squat down as opposite leg bends back reaching down touching raised hand to opposite front toe
4. Return to starting position – 1 set is 15 per side

Paddler Benefits – An easy and safe way to quickly enhance balance and explosive driving power

Muscles Worked – Glutes, quads, and hamstrings

Side Plank

1. Start in extended arm side plank position
2. Hold for a minimum of 30 seconds and work towards 1 minute
3. Switch sides
Advanced: Raise arm and leg

Paddler Benefits – A great tool for body awareness, control, and torso stability along with shoulder

1. Start in extended arm plank position, elevating feet on a box, chair, or workout bench.
2. As in the level 2 plank swimmer: Position body in an extended push up position
3. Raise arm straight out in front so that the upper arm is inline with the ear, palm should be facing down, head stays in neutral position
4. Begin to stroke the arm in a circular position palm facing back
5. Complete the arm stroke when you tap the upper leg/hip area then retrace back, set arm down. Secure balance /alignment then repeat on the other side

Paddler Benefits – I find that foot elevation creates a new way to drive deeper to the core. This challenges balance like no other exercise and by doing so with progressive control, everything gets stronger

1. Start in lunge position holding an 8-10 lb. medicine ball off to the side of the forward thigh
2. Jump up, transferring weight to opposite leg
3. While in the same motion rotating ball over head to opposite side landing in a lunge position – do this exercise switching side to side as fast as you can for 12 seconds